Car-bridge.



0. W. -WELGH 8; 0. G. PPLEAGOR.-

' GAR BRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV, 1, 1909.

951,5 1 8w Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

ANDREW H GRAHAM ca. FHDTO-LITNOGRAPNEHS. WnsmNsToN, 0,

'ltll l d; TE T Ulh.

CHARLES W. WELCH AND ORLAND G. PFLEAGOR, OF IDES IVIOINES, IOWA.

CAR-BRIDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ltliar. 8, 1310.

Application filed November 1, 1809. Serial No. 525,784.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES W. VViiLoI-r and ORLAND G. PrLnAeon, citizens of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk, State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Car- Bridge, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of this invention to provide a bridge which is adapted to be used primarily although not exclusively, to extend across the space intervening between the ends of two freight cars, or between the side doors of said cars, when they are disposed side by side, upon adjacent tracks.

The invention consists in providing a bridge of novel and improved construction, and in providing means whereby the bridge may be retained in place upon the structure with which it is assembled.

The drawings show but one form of the invention, and it is to be understood that changes, properly falling within the scope of what is claimed, may be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to denote corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings, wherein Figure 1 shows the invention in top plan; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; and Fig. 3 is a fragmental transverse section.

It is to be understood that the device forming the subject matter of this application is adapted to be used under any conditions in which it is desired to provide a temporary bridge to connect two objects which are slightly spaced apart. In order to illustrate the application of the device, there is shown in the accompanying drawings, the adjacent ends of two freight cars, which are connected by the hereindescribed bridge. It is to be understood that this showing, however, is merely illustrative of one of the many uses to which the device may be put.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a plate 1, which, if desired, may be fashioned from a single sheet of metal. This plate 1 is upwardly convexed, in order to strengthen the structure, and is provided adjacent its ends, with spaced, support-engaging prongs depending from thelower surface of the plate. When the device is mounted in position, these prongs will serve to retain the plate 1 in place without materially disfiguring the structure upon which the device is mounted, or interfering with the removal of the device when the occasion for its use has passed. These prongs'Q. may be assembled with the plate 1 in any desired manner. In the present instance, the plate, being rectangular, is provided, adjacent its corners, with slots 3, arcuate in outline, and located in a circumference, the center of which is within the plate 1. In these slots 3, the prongs 2 are slidably mounted, the prongs being provided at their upper extremities, with heads 4ladapted to engage the plate 1 upon either side of the slots 3, upon the upper surface of the plate, the prongs being provided, intermediate their ends, with shoulders 5, adapted to outstand upon either side of the slots 3, and to bear against the lower face of the plate 1. By this construction, although the prongs 2 are free to reciprocate in the slots 3, they are held therein against displacement.

When the device is employed as a means for bridging the space between two cars, should it be desired to move the cars with the bridge in place, this operation may readily be performed, even though the cars are drawn around a sharp curve, such as is commonly found in freight yards. It will be seen that when the cars, which are de noted by the numeral 6, round a curve, the prongs 2 will move in the slots 3, permitting the cars to round the curve without straining the prongs, or tearing the structure in which they are mounted. Although the prongs 2 are given a limited movement in the slots 3 when the cars 6 are rounding a curve, it will be seen that the plate 1 is not free to slide upon the prongs 2 in a direction of its length, for the reason that, when an effort is made to move the plate in the direction of its length, the prongs 2 either at one end of the device or at the other, will be wedged in the slots 3. Owing to this fact, a Wheel-barrow may readily be drawn over the plate 1 in the direction of its length, without subjecting the plate 1 to longitudinal movement.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A device of the class described com prising a plate; and spaced, support-engaging prongs depending from the plate adjacent its ends, the prongs being slidably mounted in the plate.

2. A device of the class described coniprising a plate provided adjacent its ends, with spaced, arcuate slots; and support-engaging prongs slidably mounted in the slots.

3. A device of the class described comprising a plate provided adjacent its ends With spaced, arcuate slots, located in a circumference, the center of which is located Within the plate; and support engaging prongs slidably mounted in the slots.

4. A device of the class described C0111- prising a plate provided adjacent its ends with spaced, arcuate slots, located in a circumference, the center of which is within the plate; and support engaging prongs 'slidably mounted in the slots, each prong 'as our own, We have hereto aflixed our signatures in the presence of tWO Witnesses.

CHAS. V. VVELCH. ORLAND G. PFLEAGOR.

Witnesses J. E. EDSTROM, C. MAURICE JOHNSON. 

